Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02829699 2013-10-10
VARIABLE FLOW TRAINING CUP
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates in general to training cups for toddlers
and small
children. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved drinking
device having
properties of a cup for drinking but which may have a variable restriction on
flow to allow
training to use a cup as well as to allow for sealing against spilling during
travel.
10002] Infants begin feeding using the mother's breast and bottles having
similarly shaped
nipples. The transition from nipples to a fully open cup is difficult for
small children. There
are many training cups available commercially, with a common form being a
sippy cup,
where a standard cup body is provided with a cover having an aperture
protrusion. While
these sippy cups help train the child on the gross arm and hand movements of
lifting and
tilting the cup, they do not train the child on the fine mouth and lip
movements necessary to
drink from a cup rim.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
10003] An object of the present invention is to provide an child's training
cup having a
variable restriction on flow.
[0004] Another object of the present invention is to provide a training cup
which may be
fully closed for travel.
100051 These and other objects are achieved by a variable flow training cup.
The device
includes a cup body having an upper rim. Selectively connected to the upper
rim is a variable
flow cover. The cover includes a flow cap directly connected to the cup body
and which
includes a central panel surrounded by a flow gap extending through the flow
cap. A control
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ring is mounted to the flow cap. The control ring includes a peripheral
drinking rim similar to
a standard cup. The control ring further includes an annular plug sized to
close the flow gap
and receive the central panel therein. The control ring is connected to the
flow cap so as to
allow the control ring to move longitudinally between a first position and
second positions. In
the first position the plug closely surrounds the central panel and blocks the
flow gap to
prevent flow of liquids. In the second position, the control ring is moved
longitudinally away
from the cup body with the plug spaced from the central panel thus opening the
flow gap to
permit flow of liquids out from the cup body. The connection between the flow
cap and
control ring is preferably such that an infinite number of intermediate
positions may also be
maintained, as by a threaded connection, so as to allow variable flow. The
child may this
drink from the present cup using a standard tipping motion and drink from a
standard cup rim,
but with the flow restricted to reduce spilling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
100061 The objects and features of the invention noted above are explained in
more detail
with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like
elements, and in
which:
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a variable flow training cup according to
the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;
FIG. 3 is a detail cross sectional view along line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with the ring
member in the
first, closed position; and
FIG. 4 is a detail cross sectional view similar to Fig. 3 with the ring member
in the second,
open position.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] With reference to FIG. 1, a variable flow training cup according to the
present
invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10. The training cup 10
generally
includes a cup body 12 having a concave configuration with a sidewall ending
at an upper
rim 14. A flow cap 16 is selectively mounted to the upper rim 14. In
particular, the flow cap
16 is generally circular and includes a peripheral mounting skirt 18 extending
downward.
This mounting skirt 18 selectively connects to the upper rim 14 by a snap fit,
or preferably a
threaded connection, and may include a gasket 20 for a liquid-tight seal.
[0008] The flow cap 16 includes a cylindrical adjustment ring 22 extending
upward from the
mounting skirt 18, with the adjustment ring 22 including a set of exterior
threads 24. While
not necessary, it is preferred that the adjustment ring have a smaller
diameter than that of the
mounting skirt 18. It is also preferred that the mounting skirt 18 and
adjustment ring 22 be
formed monolithically.
[0009] Extending upward from the adjustment ring 22 is a cylindrical sealing
ring 26. The
sealing ring 26 has a diameter smaller than that of adjustment ring 22, and
terminates a flow
rim 28. A circular central panel 32 is mounted adjacent to, but spaced from,
the flow rim 28
by a series of spars 34. As may be seen, this central panel 32 will serve to
obstruct, but not
block, the opening formed by the flow rim 28. In particular, an annular flow
gap 36, best
shown in Fig. 4, is formed between the central panel 32 and flow rim 28. In
the embodiment
shown, the edge of the central panel 32 is offset radially inward and upward
of the flow rim
28. Some variation is possible here. The edge of the central panel could be
extended outward
to extend over a portion of the flow rim 28 if desired, or the outer edge of
the central panel
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could be offset radially inward and slightly below the flow rim 28. All that
is strictly
necessary is that the resulting flow gap 36 be capable of being sealed as
described more fully
below.
[0010] As may be envisioned, the flow cap 16 will obstruct the outward flow of
liquid (not
shown) from the interior of the cup body 12, but that liquid could still flow
freely from the
flow gap 36. To control this flow, the training cup 10 also includes a control
ring 38.
[0011] The control ring 38 is circular in shape, and includes a cylindrical,
downward
directed, adjustment skirt 40. The adjustment skirt 40 is sized to closely
surround the
adjustment ring 22, and the interior of the adjustment skirt 40 includes
threads 42 which mate
with the threads 24. This threaded connection allows the control ring 38 to be
rotated relative
to the flow cap 16, with this relative rotation causing the control ring to
move longitudinally
upward or downward (that is, away from, or toward, the cup body 12) relative
to the flow cap
16. In particular, this relative rotation allows the control ring 38 to move
from a first, closed
position illustrated in Figs. 1-3, and a second, open position illustrated in
Fig. 4.
[0012] Spaced radially inward from the adjustment skirt 40 is a cylindrical,
downward
directed, sealing skirt 44. The sealing skirt 44 is sized to closely surround
the sealing ring 26
and will have a sliding engagement with the flow rim 28. This sliding
engagement is
preferred to be tight to reduce the passage of liquid therebetween, and so it
is preferred that
one or both of the sealing skirt 44 and sealing ring 26 be formed of an
elastomeric material.
While not required, it is preferred that the flow rim 28 includes a first
sealing ridge 46
directed radially outward, and that the sealing skirt 44 include a second
sealing ridge 48
directed radially inward and of the same height as the first sealing ridge 46.
These sealing
ridges 46 and 48 are placed such that they will abut each other when the
control ring is in the
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second, open position. As may be envisioned, thus abutment will block further
longitudinal
movement of the control ring 38 upward, and can actually serve to define the
second, open
position.
[0013] The control ring 38 also includes an annular plug 50 spaced inwardly of
the sealing
skirt 44. The plug 50 is positioned and shaped so as to block and seal the
flow gap 36 when
the control ring is in the first, closed position. In the second, open
position the plug 50 will be
longitudinally spaced from the flow gap 36 so as to allow the free flow of
liquid through the
flow gap 36. As may be envisioned, the threaded connection of the control ring
38 to flow
cap 16 wil allow for an infinite variation of positions between the first,
closed position and the
second, open position, such that flow of liquid from the training cup 10 may
be varied
considerably from a very limited flow to a full flow similar to a normal open
cup.
10014] The structure described above is similar to existing spout caps, but
the present
invention differs in two important respects.
[0015] A first difference is a cylindrical drinking rim 52 extending upward
(away from the
cup body 12) from the control ring 38. The drinking rim 52 allows the control
ring 38 to be
treated as the usual upper free rim of a cup, with the user's lips engaging a
limited radial
extent of the rim 52.
[0016] A second difference is the overall diameter of the control ring 38, and
in particular
the diameter of the drinking rim 52. As noted, it is important that the
drinking rim 52 be
treated as a normal rim of a cup, and as such the drinking rim 52 will have
minimum diameter
of approximately 42 (forty-two) mm. By this it is meant that the smallest
diameter of the
drinking rim 52 would be 42mm, give or take a few mm, but that diameter could
be
considerably larger. Preferably, the diameter would be on a scale similar to
that of common
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drinking cups, the better to train the child. This larger diameter will
prevent the child from
placing the entire drinking rim 52 within their mouth and using it as a spout.
Rather, this
large diameter will force the child to use his or her lips to engage a limited
periphery of the
drinking rim, as with a normal cup. Further, it is preferred that the central
panel 32 and thus
the flow gap 36 also have a relatively proportional and large diameter. This
larger diameter of
the flow gap will cause at least a portion of the flow gap to extend above the
surface of the
liquid during dispensing to act as a vent to the interior of the cup body and
prevent any
negative pressure.
[0017] In use, the user may grip the mounting skirt 18 of the flow cap 16 to
remove or attach
the flow cap (with control ring 38 connected thereto) from or to the cup body
12. This allows
liquid to be placed into the training cup 10 prior to drinking. The control
ring 38 may be
placed in the first, closed position during travel or other situations in
which it is desired to
prevent dispensing from the training cup 10. When the child desires to drink
from the training
cup 10, the control ring 38 is rotated relative to the flow cap 16 so as to
open the flow gap 36
and allow liquid to flow therefrom. The amount which the flow gap is opened
will vary
depending upon the amount of rotation of the control ring 38, up to the
second, open position.
The amount of flow from the training cup 10 may thus be adjusted, and in
particular limited,
so as to restrict flow and thus help the child to train using a real cup
without undue spilling.
Further, the large diameter of the drinking rim forces the child to use the
lips to engage a
small radial extent of the drinking rim. In other words, the large diameter of
the drinking rim
52 prevents the child from using the drinking rim 52 as a spout (similar to a
nipple) and forces
a true cup-drinking action for training the child.
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[0018] As may be envisioned, there may be a number of variations to the basic
arrangement
which do not depart from the basic concept. For example, the flow cap 16 may
include one or
more radial tabs 54 to allow better manual leverage for the user to connect or
disconnect the
flow cap 16 to the cup body 12. Similar tabs (not shown) could be provided on
the control
ring 38 to ease its relative rotation between the first and second positions.
Other useful
variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
[0019] From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well
adapted to attain all
ends and objects set forth above together with the other advantages which are
inherent within
its structure.
[0020] It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of
utility and may
be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is
contemplated
by and is within the scope of the claims.
[0021] Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without
departing
from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set
forth of shown in the
accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a
limiting sense.
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